Miami Postgame Notes vs. Western Michigan
1/21/2012 12:00:00 AM | Hockey
Jan. 20, 2012
Miami vs. Western MichiganFriday, Jan. 20, 2012
Oxford, Ohio - Steve Cady Arena
Miami Hockey Postgame Notes
Junior forward Reilly Smith tallied his second hat trick of the season and third of his career Friday. It was his fourth multi-goal game of this year's campaign and the 13th of his career. Smith leads both the RedHawks and the CCHA with 17 goals and is currently riding a four-game point streak in which he has posted five goals and two assists. He needs two more points to become the 47th player in Miami history with 100 career points as he sits on 98 after tonight.
Freshman forward Austin Czarnik notched the sixth multi-point game of his career with three assists Friday night, tying a career high for points while the three helpers are a career best and the most by a RedHawk this year. He also had three points Nov. 12 against Michigan with a goal and two assists.
Smith's second period goal was his sixth game-winner of the season, which ties him for fifth all-time at Miami in a single season. It was also the 10th of his career, which ties for eighth in Miami history. The game-winning goal came on the penalty kill, Smith's first short-handed goal of the season and Miami's sixth of the season, tying for fifth nationally.
Senior goaltender Connor Knapp has now won five starts in a row, dating back to Dec. 9, 2011 against Ohio State. Knapp hasn't allowed more than one goal in his last four games, during which he has a .972 save percentage and a 0.75 goals-against average.
Freshman forward Jimmy Mullin is now riding a three-game point streak, tying his career long, after dished out two assists Friday. Mullin has recorded two goals and three assists during the three-game span. Tonight was also Mullin's first multi-assist game of his career and his fourth multi-point game, all logging two points.
Miami improved to 7-6-1 against ranked foes this year with the win over No. 8 Western Michigan, including four wins over top-10 teams: No.4/5 Michigan Nov. 11, Nov. 9/10 Denver Nov. 26, and No. 4/4 Ohio State Dec. 3, as well as tonight.
Miami associate head coach Brent Brekke is coaching against his alma mater this weekend, as he was a four-year letterwinner for the Broncos from 1990-94.
Miami is 11-0-1 in its last 12 home games against Western Michigan and 11-1-2 over the last five years against the Broncos overall after Friday's win.
Smith's goal 4:16 into the first period marked the 17th time in 25 games that Miami's scored first this year. The RedHawks improved to 11-5-1 in those contests with the victory Friday.
--MURedHawks.com--
